As week three is played off in the Shirley Legion Double Top League it was announced that a couple of players had dropped out of the league but the league are still able to boast an entry of 22 players, 19 of which turned out this week. The evening saw some very close games and some shock results, one of them being the 4-0 win by Michael Forsyth over Lee Lattimer with Lattimer missing out on his finishing doubles.
There is a new leader of the league as Mark Gwalchmai with 4-0 wins over Jordan Ottley and Luke Sahota plus a 3-1 success against Brian Lawton giving him a total of 22 points from seven games a lead of two points over second placed James Lee who beat Tony Daly 4-0 and then finished all square at 2-2 with Lee Harris, leaving him with a game in hand on Gwalchmai.
Former leader Kyle Bevan didn’t play in week three and drops to fifth place on 16 points but with three games in hand on leader Gwalchmai. Third in the table John Smyth has played the same number of games as James Lee and is just one point behind him after he added a 4-0 win over Brian Lawton and a 3-1 win against Kim Daly to his tally which gives him a one pont advantage plus a game in hand on fourth placed Mark O’Donnell who had 3-1 wins over Lee Lattimer and Tony Daly before beating Steve Harper 4-0.
Finding the three treble twenties this week were Mick Bown, Jordan Ottley, Mark Gwalchmai, Mark O’Donnell and John Smyth.
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Another league making a welcome return to the local scene after the enforced COVID-19 break is the Dave Duncan Double Top League with an encouraging sixteen players kicking off the new season.
Topping the table in the first week is Simon Power who followed up his 4-1 win over Simon Edwards with a 5-0 success against John Taylor to put him on nine points and giving him a two points advantage over his two nearest rivals Andy Hutchings and Ian Spencer. Andy had 4-1 and 3-2 wins over respective opponents Jack Sidwell and Tom White while Ian began with a 3-2 defeat to Jason Jennings and then recorded his first win which was 5-0 against John Taylor.
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Weoley Castle WMC was the setting for a “Summer Weekend of Darts in Birmingham” with no fewer than four competitions being played off over the weekend.
On Saturday there was the men’s and women’s Classic Knockout, the men’s competition attracting a total of 75 players, losers in the last sixteen Anthony Webster, Paul Boulton, Thomas Garfield, Mark Dudbridge, Rich Hosey, Nick Fullwell, Wayne Willis and Wayne Harrison all receiving £40.
In the quarter-finals there were wins for Ryan Palmer, Kevin Leung, Lee Evans and Graham Hall who in turn took out Charlie Symons, Dale Heritage, Matt Jackson and Brian Dawson who each picked up £50.
The last four games saw Kevin Leung win 5-0 against Ryan Palmer and Graham Hall win 6-3 against Lee Evans with £125 going to both Palmer and Evans.
The final was a really close affair going to the wire with in-form Graham Hall just getting the 7-6 edge on Kevin Leung to collect the winners £750, as runner-up Leung received £300.
In the ladies Classic Janine Gough, Enola Wilson, Lacey Hughes and Stella Sims each received £30 for losing to respective opponents Vicky Pruim, Sarah Roberts, Rebecca Brouse and Amanda Harwood in the quarter-finals while Vicky Pruim and Rebecca Brouse in turn lost to Sarah Roberts and Amanda Harwood in the semis and collected £70 each.
As in the men’s event the final went to the last leg with Sarah Roberts clinching the winners £300 with a 6-5 win over Amanda Harwood who picked up £140.
Sunday’s Open entries were a little disappointing but that didn’t detract from some quality darts as Graham Hall just failed to make it a double when he lost 7-2 in the final to Luke Woodhouse but nevertheless he added a further £300 to his coffers with Woodhouse winning the top prize of £500.
Losing semi-finalists Steven Thompson and Colin Osborne each received £130 while there was £60 for losing quarter-finalists Nick Fullwell, Ryan O’Connor, Chris Skeates and Mark Dudbridge.
Taking the top prize of £300 in the ladies open was Vicky Pruim who beat Evonne Taylor (£140) 6-5 in the final.
Other cash winners were Amanda Harwood and Sarah Roberts who received £70 for losing in the last four and there was £30 for Paula Jacklin, Grace Angell, Emma Manning and Rebecca Brouse who went out in the quarter-finals.
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It was cup week in the Camp Hill League, the first round of their League Cup in which three of the four games finished with a 6-1 scoreline. Chalking up the big wins were Tyseley WMC, Clumsy Swan and Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club who defeated respective opponents Moseley Arms, Peaky Blinder and Sedgemere Devils. In the other game played Tyseley Bears won 4-3 against Aston Inn Nomads.
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In division one of the Shirley and District Monday Night League Tippetts Bar, for the first time this season and in five games they lost. Playing at home against third placed Lions Tippetts who were second in the division went down 5-4 and at the same time also lost their number two spot to their opponents. Lions have now joined leaders Dunky’s Boys on ten points, Dunky’s handed out an 8-1 thrashing to fourth placed Saracens Swords with their players in outstanding form as Andy Hutchings, Bob Nixon and Jason Jennings all hit two maximums and Simon Edwards recorded a 100 finish. Although the two top teams are both on ten points Dunky’s have played one game fewer than Lions.
In division two leaders Saracens Misfits hosted bottom of the division Saracens Slingers and won 6-3 to keep them two points to the good on second placed Highwood who won 5-4 against HSCC.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played the first leg of the semi-finals of their League Cup and both Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Old Hill Cricket Club will have a big task in the second leg to turn around 6-3 deficits.
League champions Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club played away against league runners-up Townsend Social Club while Old Hill Cricket Club, who finished sixth in the league hosted fifth placed The Clock.
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With leaders of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League White Horse having a bye in week 24 second placed Cross (Oldswinford) took the opportunity to draw level on 34 points with them as they defeated Gate Hangs Well 4-3. Despite the top two teams being level on points they are not level on games played as White Horse have two games in hand on Cross with Cross now having just two more games to play.
At the other end of the table there was a rare win for Fox Inn (Lye) whose 5-2 home success over Ten Arches has seen them move off the foot of the table and go above both Crestwood and Rose and Crown, with Crestwood dropping to the bottom of the table.
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Bell ‘A’ had a bye in the Silver End Sunday Morning League and as a result lost their second place in the table and dropped to third behind Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who took over the number two spot after beating Bell ‘B’ 5-3. Leaders Dudley Sports were convincing 7-1 home winners over Crestwood to take them up to 28 points, one more than the Ex Serviceman’s Club and four more than Bell ‘A’.
The bottom two teams played each other, next to bottom Black Horse ‘A’ winning handsomely by 7-1 against bottom placed Kings Head ‘B’ who after ten fixtures are still seeking their first win of the season.
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The top three teams in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League all won 5-2 in their latest round of fixtures. Top of the table Waggon and Horses won at Dewdrop ‘B’ while Dewdrop ‘A’, who are second beat their hosts Vine ‘B’. Third in the league Miners Arms ‘B’ won their home tie with bottom placed Sow and Pigs to keep them on the same number of points as Dewdrop ‘A’ both having 20, four short of Waggon and Horses who also have a game in hand on the two of them.
Horseley Tavern who were previously fourth in the league lost 6-1 at home to Miners Arms ‘A’ and drop to fifth with Vine ‘A’ moving up one place as a result of their 6-1 win at Albion.
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Week three of the League Cup in the Netherton Tuesday Night League and in Group ‘A’ Netherton Sports recorded a 6-1 win over Quarry Bank Social Club while Church Tavern had a much closer 4-3 win at Chop House.
In Group ‘B’ Bulls Head were 6-1 winners against Wheatsheaf, Plough not too far behind with a 5-2 win over Samson.
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Bell consolidated their number one position in the Rowley Monday Night League by handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Tividale FC. The win keeps Bell at the halfway point of the season two points ahead of White Swan, Whiteheath Tavern and Plough and Harrow. White Swan had a 6-3 home win over sixth in the league Gate Hangs Well while as a result of their 9-0 win against Loyal Lodge Whiteheath Tavern move above Plough and Harrow as they only won 7-2 against Hare and Hounds, Whiteheath who are one leg of average short of White Swan have a two legs of average lead on Plough and Harrow.
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Nick Fullwell’s quest for the Ashwwod Premier League title has been strengthened by the fact that in week eleven he beat Rob Pierce 6-1 and Mitch Pickett 7-0 to take his points tally from 19 games to 123 with a lead of eight points and two games in hand on currently second in the league Chris Manoila who added 5-2 wins over Ash Marson and Martyn Harper to his account to move him up one place in the table.
Formerly second placed Chris Williams had a bad start to the night as he lost out 5-2 to Sam Aitkens before recovering to beat Jayden Harper 5-2 to put him fourth in the table on 113 points. After his win over Williams, Aitkens then won 7-0 against Jayden Harper but finished the night going down 4-3 to a former leader of the league Tom Stockton. Nevertheless Aitkens moved four places up the table to third on the same 115 points as Manoila but from three more games played.
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It may well have been week 13 in the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League but it was certainly not unlucky for leader Graham Hall as throughout the night he got better and better. Hall began the night with a 5-3 win over Reece Colley, he then won 6-2 against Rich Bowen and finished his trio of games with an 8-0 success over Shane Passey to give him a total of 200 points from 23 games. Nick Fullwell is Hall’s nearest threat he had 7-1 wins over both Nick Whitehouse and Shane Price to leave him 18 points short of Hall from the same number of games played.
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It’s so close at the top of the Singles Division in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League that a bye for Railway saw them lose their pole position and drop to fourth. Woodfield, the only team in the division with a 100% win record have taken over the number one spot following their 4-3 win over Stile, their twelve points two more than Hurst Hill, Gilbert’s Bar and Railway. Hurst Hill and Gilbert’s Bar both had close 4-3 wins over in turn Wednesfield Legion and Cleveland Arms.
In the Doubles Division ECC continue to lead the way adding a straight 3-0 win over Yew Tree to their account to put them on 12 points. Second placed Hurst Hill have played one game less than ECC and are the only unbeaten team in the division, they took the winning run to six games with a 3-0 win over Wednesfield Legion.
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